Finding a nanny for your children or child requires finding a person and/or service you can trust. Trusted nanny services are available near you today, but how do you find the perfect match? Multiple methods for verifying credibility and trustworthiness exist including asking people you know for word-of-mouth recommendations. While word-of-mouth information from a reliable source is always important, you might want to also do your own research to be certain of who will be around your children on a regular basis.
The COVID-19 pandemic created an entirely new demographic of the working population full of people who discovered they like to work from home. Even if you are working from home, you likely unable to also properly take care of your children at the same time. Nanny services are available to help whether you are in your home or working on-site at your normal job location. How are nanny service employees vetted and certified? What are some of the most popular and reliable nanny services available in 2021 and what are their average prices? Read ahead for helpful information about trusted nanny services near you and how to find a perfect match today!
Trusted Nanny Services – What They Offer You
When a company hires new employees, it often uses a human resources (HR) department to vet/interview prospective candidates. Using a nanny service to hire a nanny for your home and children is akin to having your own HR department on staff for your personal childcare needs. How does this work? Essentially, the recruiting/placement department from a nanny service spends a certain amount of time getting to know you, your family, and your needs. A representative from the service will essentially interview you and your family, albeit in a less formal sense than at a traditional job interview. The representative will likely visit your home and understand the interactions between you and your children. Questions will be asked about your needs, concerns and any special requirements your children might have. Special requirements might include medical, nutritional, behavioral or other factors necessary to keep your children happy, healthy and safe while in the care of a trusted nanny.
Once your needs and expectations are assessed, the service representative looks inside the company for several nannies who fit your overall profile requirements. If more than one candidate is qualified, interviews will be set up between you and each potential candidate. Even if only one candidate is qualified, an interview is still scheduled. Once the interview process is complete, all parties have the chance to reflect on the experience and make an informed decision.
What does a high-quality trusted nanny service offer you? A viable nanny service conveniently pre-screens possible nanny candidates to avoid wasting your time on prospects who are not a good match. All nanny candidates are vetted and certified using official criminal background checks and an in-depth hiring process. Perhaps the biggest aspect a trusted nanny service offers you is peace-of-mind, knowing all candidates presented to you are deemed trustworthy, qualified and safe to be around your children with or without you present.
Nanny Services – Employee Certifications
A variety of background checks and certification processes are used to properly vet a nanny prior to hiring him or her inside a trusted professional service. Criminal background checks are run on every nanny candidate. Driving records from the Department of Motor Vehicles in each applicable state are also pulled. E-Verify.gov is an official U.S. government website used to verify employment eligibility status. The U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) facilitates the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, which lists all registered sex offenders in the country. Child abuse/neglect records are pulled when legal to do so in your state. Personal/professional references are also checked to the fullest extent possible.
The International Nanny Association (INA) facilitates a nanny-credential examination, which further evaluates each candidate’s qualifications. Nannies taking care of infants require different skills and experience than those taking care of older children as well. Various certifications and skills/training to look for in the perfect nanny match for your family includes:
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Certified first-aid training.
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AED/CPR training.
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Health management skills.
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Child development education.
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Red Cross water safety certification (if caring for your children around water).
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Nutritional-based training/education.
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Safety training.
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Ability to teach (when applicable).
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Various high-quality personality traits.
Top Trusted Nanny Services 2021
Numerous nanny services and/or resources to locate them are available in 2021. Care.com provides a list of resources for finding trusted nanny service agencies near you. Additional top trusted nanny services and/or resources to locate them in 2021 include:
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Household Staffing (nannies division).
Average Prices & Services Provided
Wages paid to a nanny and/or nanny service vary greatly based on location, needs, services provided and full-time/part-time status of the nanny in question. A part-time nanny working only weekends is likely paid on different terms than a full-time and/or live-in nanny. Nanny services include caring for infants, toddlers and school-age children. Some nannies provide transportation services, while others do not. Nannies trained to handle medical and emotional emergencies or take care of children with disabilities are paid much more than nannies without similar training.
The average hourly wage for a nanny ranges from approximately $17 to $22 per hour, with variations affected by the type of services and number of hours provided. Average weekly salaries range from $500 - $700 per nanny, whereas live-in nannies receive an approximate average annual salary of $26,000 to $36,000 per year (plus benefits). What are the states with the highest average nanny salaries in the U.S. today? Washington, Maryland and Kentucky all pay higher average wages to nannies than any other U.S. state in 2021.